As Spain struggles desperately to cope with almost 120,000 coronavirus infections, it barely has the strength to help its overwhelmed care homes and their elderly residents, singularly vulnerable to the respiratory disease.
With hospitals stretched to breaking point, the elderly are being turned away, and the care homes, lacking staff and appropriate equipment, must do what they can for the sick and dying.
"When they are very sick — not only here, in more than one place — ... when they see there is no solution ... they sedate them and see how long they last, because they're leaving intensive care wards for younger people," said Maria Jose Alvarez, whose 85-year-old mother is in a home near Barcelona.